HOUSTON — A local child is being treated for measles at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus after testing positive for the disease, hospital officials confirmed Monday.

The Houston Health Department identified the patient as a boy between the ages of 1 and 3 years old. The child recently traveled overseas, health officials said.

Measles is a highly-contagious, vaccine-preventable infection.

Over the past ten years, the health department has averaged about 0.5 reported cases of measles per year. The last case of confirmed measles in Houston was in 2013.

Hospital administrators released the following statement:

We work closely with public health entities to continuously monitor highly-contagious diseases in our local, national and international communities. Our Infection Control and Prevention team immediately identified other children who may have come in contact with this patient to assess their risk and provide clinical recommendations. We have contacted all of those families.

Texas children’s Hospital’s highest priority is the health and safety of those we serve. We will continue to keep our patients, their families, our staff and the community at-large informed to the fullest extent possible, while also respecting the privacy rights of our patients.